Daily Sports

Bangladesh claimed their first overseas test series win when Shakib Al Hasan's fine all-round performance guided them to a four-wicket victory over West Indies in Grenada on Monday.

Al Hasan, acting skipper in the test, struck a majestic unbeaten 96 from 97 balls and Bangladesh, after an early scare, comfortably surpassed the target of 215 with a day to spare. In a series blighted by the boycott from first choice West Indies players, who are in dispute with their board over contractual and payment issues, Al Hasan provided genuine test quality with bat and ball. The slow left-armer ended with figures of five for 70 as Bangladesh bowled out the weakened West Indies side for 209 in the morning session after picking up the final two wickets.

In reply, Bangladesh wobbled at 67 for four after fine bowling from Kemar Roach and Darren Sammy but Al Hasan and Raqibul Hasan (65) put on 106 for the fifth wicket to take the tourists close to their target. The pair played with little sign of nerves, despite the precarious position of their team, picking off the bad balls with ease and punishing without mercy, particularly Al Hasan, whose timing was perfect.

Sammy removed Hasan with a smart caught and bowled to offer a glimmer of hope to the West Indies and he got rid of Mushfiqur Rahim in the same fashion near the end. But Bangladesh comfortably secured just their third test win in style when Al Hasan smashed Roach for a six to finish on 96 not out, a spectacular and emphatic end to what has been a low-key and at times poor quality test series.

The two tests have largely been ignored by the Caribbean public with pitifully low attendance on each day in both St.Vincent and Grenada and West Indies fans will hope the dispute between the players' union and the board can be patched up quickly. The only positives for coach John Dyson will have been the bowling of Sammy and paceman Kemar Roach along with the all-round play of Dave Bernard, who scored three half-centuries and delivered some more than useful medium pace. But West Indies' upper order batting, without any recognised test players, was incapable of playing the canny spin they faced and Bangladesh thoroughly deserved the series. Bangladesh's achievement may be undermined in some eyes by the weakness of their opposition but they deserve credit for excellent spin bowling, particularly from Al Hasan and Mohammed Mahmudullah and very enthusiastic and quality fielding.